Last evening we had a rattlesnake encounter. When I say “we” I mean me and 4 bitches.

Every night I go out and change sprinklers, do some hand watering, enjoy the garden and I bring my girls with me. I went out a bit later than usual so it was more like dusk, you know the time when it starts getting darker fast. So I was in a casual hurry.

I was at the back of the house and getting ready to go over a wall and turn off some sprinklers when I heard the ominous sound of a rattle. It did not register as an actual snake just a weird noise. I turned around and all 4 bitches were in a surround face off with a rattlesnake from a cautiously curious distance. I could see the snake’s blurry outline in the dark on the lawn. The rattle was surprisingly loud. To be honest it is the first time I have actually ever heard a real one in person. The dogs were in a cartoon like stare down mode. It flashed thru my mind how do I get all 4 dogs away from this terribly interesting development. It was just a quick flash because I did not have time to contemplate or make a plan but I was torn between calling the dogs to me or getting Yanni out to help. I opted for a little of both. I called all the dogs to me in a very OH MY GOD GET OVER HERE CAUSE YOU ARE GOING TO DIE IF YOU DONT voice. To my surprise all 4 dogs came to me and went right in the house with little to no argument. In a breathless panicked voice I shouted to Yanni about the snake. It took me some time to be coherent and get all the words out properly. He jumped and went to get the snake wrangling tools. By then it was pretty dark. I went back outside to keep an eye on the snake but as I got close the rattling started back up and so I backed away. I never saw him, I just heard him. This was one mad snake. If the loudness of the rattle counts for anything, it was also a big one.

Yanni finally arrived with tools but the flashlight was not strong enough. Funny thing we always have flashlights locked and loaded EXCEPT last night. It took forever for my nervous hands to get batteries into a flashlight that actually worked. By this time the snake was gone. Yanni searched for it for a while but to no avail.

I was no longer shaking but the images and feeling of doom were hard to shake. I slept restless and it was still on my mind when I woke. There are images from life that seer themselves into your brain and this is one of them. If I were a painter I would be painting it now. Three Staffords and a Bull Terrier of different ages and experience surrounding a snake rearing up in the lawn and the light very low is without a doubt a once in a lifetime sight to behold. The expression on each dog was different but all were cautious except Scarlet who was mildly more interested in jumping up to get a fig out of an overhanging branch. Looking back now, I think if the snake had struck it would have been game on. The other three would have torn it up. As it was they were waiting for it to move. As long as the snake was still I had time. I probably only had seconds because it was just a matter of time before one of them decided to make the snake move. I really did not want to take a dog to emergency and pay $2,000 and deal with the after care.

I have lived in rattlesnake country for over 30 years. We have had numerous encounters. Our experience here is real. It does not come from book or videos. I have had one dog bitten. It was in the back of a hind leg so I figure she stepped on it. There was one encounter between Madison and a big one at my old house that turned out well but this one is by far the most dramatic. Being dark definitely added a new twist on it. I love it here. This is my home. This is my crazy ass dog’s home too. This is also the home of numerous creatures that carry all sorts of different degrees of difficulty. I guess it is like a video game and we just reached a new level.

Every now and then I read a blog or an article that gets my hackles raised. These 2 articles have done just that.

Every night I go out and change sprinklers, do some hand watering, enjoy the garden and I bring my girls with me. I went out a bit later than usual so it was more like dusk, you know the time when it starts getting darker fast. So I was in a casual hurry.

How to Pick the Right Dog

The Best Dog for the Outdoors.

I have done a lot of rescue, particularly puppies. I have also bred some litters and have acquired some history by watching nature verse nurture over years. My first litter is 9 years old. I can pretty much say that dogs are who they are when they are born. The raging extrovert could have impulse control issues, the shy sweet puppy in the background may have fear reactivity if they are not reared properly and placed appropriately. Most importantly the new owners need after purchase support to help raise a canine good citizen. A responsible breeder is willing to take the dog back at any time. Of course the shelter will take the dog back into their wretched system and some Rescues do as well but a responsible breeder always takes their dogs back and is equipped to help that dog thru any issues if needed and place properly in a new home.

The first thing that people forget is that the dogs in shelters come from uneducated and irresponsible breeders and pet owners. Why oh why would you want to get a dog from an irresponsible breeder or one bred by an uneducated pet home? You all are shouting all the time that breeders are bad and the virtue of rescuing. Yet you send people to adopt at a hot bed of irresponsibly breed dogs and puppies. The odds of getting a properly evaluated, emotionally stable and genetically healthy pup have decreased dramatically.

Don’t think you can waltz into a shelter and evaluate temperaments. It takes getting a dog away from the shelter to give the time for him to decompress to really see who he is. You can only rely on the shelter personnel and perhaps some volunteers to give you insight into the dog. Many of these people do not have the luxury to ensure your lifestyle, desire and experience match the dog you are choosing. A shelter is an extraordinary environment. It is quite different from a responsible breeder's home where the puppies are raised stress free with the breeder getting to know the puppies as they are developing. The breeder also knows the parents, uncles, aunts, grandparents and more so that they have a real good idea of what is going to be in this litter. I have found the fruit does not fall far from the tree and the puppy tells you who they are, starting at about 3 weeks. As an experienced breeder I am evaluating the puppies from the minute they are born. The last thing I want is a mismatch. I want my pups to go out and be successful and the owners to be happy for life.

No, mixes are not healthier. Cross breeding 1 or 2 generations does not all of a sudden bring back hybrid vigor. What if your crosses are 3 gens of herding type dogs that all carry some of the same genetic health issues, HD for example. Mental health is just as important as physical health and irresponsible and uneducated breeders do not even consider the temperament of their dog. For one reason pet homes are usually kennel blind and see their dog thru their heart and not their head. Early spay and neuter has been scientifically proven that the long term health risks of structural problems in the future is not worth the benefit. These risks are extremely costly and heart breaking to owners and painful to dogs. Getting a dog from the shelter that was altered prior to sexual maturity dramatically increases the odds of injuries as an adult. These injuries can happen in an instant while they are playing in the backyard. They can cause the pet home to be financially impacted dramatically to repair some issues.

It is not in how you raise them. You cannot fix some things even in puppies. You can support them and provide them with coping mechanisms that they can carry thru life. You can place pups in the correct homes that can provide the right support. You cannot change the IT of who they are. No shelter provides these after adoption tools or this education. You can try to stop your Sheltie mix from barking and you and the dog might be frustrated for the rest of your lives. The most important thing responsible breeders provide is after purchase support. Breeders have years of breed specific experience not to mention the combined years of the breed specific community. This provides new owners with real methods and support that work. It offers complementary health advice for everyday issues that can save you a trip to emergency or help make your health care decisions. I have never seen a shelter be a shoulder to cry on when your dog is 10 years old and has developed cancer. Every day your responsible breeder is there for you. They are family and a friend.

If you are an experienced dog person and have more than a beginning level of training behind you, yes go to the shelter and find a dog. I have raised many rescue puppies that were just wonderful and will remain forever in my heart. My very first foster dog was a super sweet boy but you could tell he had jumped in and out of a pickup truck too many times. He was broken down at 6 years old. He was also selective dog aggressive. I kept him his entire life and had to manage him carefully, not every pet home is prepared for this. Rescue works for a lot of people but don't feel like it is the better way. It is not the better way, it is just one way.

I love all dogs and rescuing a dog is something I will always support but it is not the healthier temperamentally, or structurally sounder solution to evil breeders that you are all led to believe. In fact the dogs you are getting from the shelter are actually from the most uneducated and irresponsible breeders you complain about. Try breaking into the real world of responsible breeders and the pure bred dog community, you will see a world you never imagined that shakes up the lies you have been fed and opens your eyes to the possibility that things are not always as they seem.